It was stupid to be a werewolf without a pack, Yara knew that well enough. But even though she was born a natural wolf and her mother help and taught her everything she knew of her kind before her illness took her, she never knew who her werewolf father was.

According to her mother, her father was something like a loner, hailing from a pack across the country. She didn't go into  details and Yara never asked about him. Sometimes it hurt less if she knew less.

But there are times she wondered, what it felt like to live as a wolf among wolves? It's a longing, as deep and old as her body is, which tugged at her very soul, whenever the moon is full.

Locked indoors, she could never go to them when they sing their songs. And once morning came the memory of it was so fleeting, easily to ignore.

But the truth is, she’s been resisting the pull because she's scared. So scared of the unknown. She's always been alone. And she didn't need anybody else.

Because really, what these other wolves can offer her? She knew that the biggest and strongest of them fought for dominance. And she's aware she can't challenge them. What was the point then? Join and be ridiculed for her inability to fit in?

So she never tried to reach out. She kept a quiet, boring life, worked a mediocre office job, and paid her dues. She was doing well for herself. She has a stable job and content with how she's living her life.

She doesn't need anything else. Especially a pack.

Or so she thought.

***

"Ms. Samuels we've been reviewing your numbers for the past year and a half. Outstanding work, really. We're quite impressed."

Yara glowed with pride. It wasn't everyday or ever actually that her supervisor complimented her.

"Thank you, Sir."

The man behind the desk, nod his head. "With that being said, we're thinking of transferring you to one of our lucrative branches. How do you feel about that?"

"Oh. Uhhh." Yara faltered for a moment. Then, "Would I be working the same position?"

"Not quite." Her boss leaned forward, observing her more closely.

"You see, Ms. Samuels … a specific position recently opened up. And I'll be frank with you: we were ordered to find a replacement as soon as possible. You would be doing secretarial work for one of the highest ranking members in the company. Would this trouble you?"

The answer was yes, it would. However, Yara could only blink, thoroughly bewildered, "Wait, why me, sir?"

"You have good numbers, a good mind, a good attitude… You're likeable Ms. Samuels. And we need someone likeable."

The hair on the back of Yara's neck prickled, "Oh… difficult clients or…?"

"No," the man sighed, rubbing his forehead, "a difficult boss, actually. You haven't heard of Xander Knightley, have you? Of course you haven't. I'll be unprofessionally frank here, because I like you, but he is a very strong-minded individual. Your pay will increase, but for good reason. Normally I wouldn't say anything, but you're a good kid and I'm not keen on throwing you to the wolves. At least not without you understanding what it is that you would be getting yourself into."

"Can I… think about this for a while?" Yara asked, unsure of how to go forward with the proposal.

"Of course," Her boss said, "but in case you're interested in the details, here is the outline of what your duties would entail as well as what pay grade you would start with. Additionally, there are pay raises and bonus tiers for you to look over."

"Thank you, sir." Yara told him, accepting the envelope and excusing herself.

She tucked the information away and didn't take it out of her bag until she got home.

And her eyes nearly bulged out of their sockets when she finally laid her eyes on it.

Her pay wouldn't just double—it would quadruple. Reading the list of duties associated with the position, she began to understand why. She would basically become some corporate supervisor's personal lapdog, responsible for everything from scheduling meetings to coffee runs. The list of appointed tasks was so long it stretched onto the next page.

But… the money was good. So damn good in fact that Yara has a problem turning it down.

Yara had bled and sweat to claw her way through college on her own after nearly ten years of being an orphan. She was content with her life, but she still lost a lot of her income to debt from her time in university. If she took this position, she would be able to pay her loans off in a year.

Yet she'd be going from sales to… secretarial work.

It didn't exactly sit well with her, but what could she do? Apparently they were scouring for someone to deal with a difficult boss and she was fairly level-headed when it came to those sorts of people. You had to be grounded in sales, after all, which she was beginning to suspect had more to do with her selection than her numbers did.

It took her two days to decide, but there was nothing for it. She had to accept. It would have been unwise not to, despite the risks.

"Glad to hear it, Ms. Samuels." Her boss said following Yara's agreement. "We'll have you settled in there by the beginning of next week."

Yara just hoped she wouldn't regret agreeing.

             ************